About one hundred protesters called for the military to be removed from Myanmar’s parliament during a peaceful demonstration in downtown Yangon yesterday afternoon.
The crowd, mostly students, walked down Mahabandoola Road shouting “get the 25 per cent out of parliament,” referring to the quarter of seats reserved for the army.
Last week, military MPs blocked a bill that would have removed their automatic veto on changes to the constitution.
Amendments are being sought by the opposition party, whose leader Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency because her children are foreign citizens.
“The army gave trouble to us for over 50 years – they are still giving trouble to us,” said Zeyar Lwin, one of the student leaders at yesterday’s march.
Referring to the quarter of reserve seats, one of the signs said: “No more threat, no more trouble, no more 25%”.
Police attempted to set up barricades at several points, prompting pushing but no major incidents. To block protesters, the classic martial arts stance in vogue among Myanmar’s law enforcement community was in effect big time.
U Khin Maung Htwe, the chief of Pabedan township police said: “According to win-win theory, we don’t want confrontation, just negotiation.”
No injuries or arrests were reported.
Photo /Aung Naing Soe / Coconuts Media
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